Published: May 30, 2008 12:22 am      

Missing jail documents finally turn up

GREENVILLE — Following the filing of a Freedom of Information request by the Herald-Banner, Hunt County officials have released several files of documents allegedly taken by the former county judge when he left office in December 2006.

Hundreds of what appeared to be original documents were among those recently returned to the county by a Fort Worth attorney. The majority of those original documents released Thursday pertained to the Hunt County Criminal Justice Center.

Fort Worth Attorney Christian Ellis has said he received the documents from former County Judge Joe Bobbitt following a deposition, and returned the documents to the county once he realized what the files contained.

Last week, Bobbitt told Herald-Banner reporters the documents he took were not originals, but were copies, newspaper clippings and personal in nature. He also said any of the documents could be obtained by contacting the county’s commissioners.

While some of the documents were in fact various newspaper clippings collected by Bobbitt regarding the jail and other issues, many of the documents regarding the Hunt County Jail were original contracts signed in blue or black ink by the movers and shakers in the construction of the Hunt County Criminal Justice Center. The documents spanned a seven-year period.

Also included in the file turned over to the county were documents involving Hunt County Sheriff’s Office personnel. Those documents included various matters regarding the office ranging from complaints about inmate treatment, to a salary dispute, to litigation matters between the county and the current Sheriff Don Anderson. The litigation paperwork was not released, as county officials cited attorney-client privilege.

Bobbitt admitted in February under oath during a deposition to removing documents and ordering the destruction of others. His admissions became public last week after his deposition became public record.

“Any elected official after he leaves office after 12 years — I had a world of things that were my personal things. Articles that were written — just files — and I didn’t necessarily want anything that I felt were my documents just left laying around the office that wasn’t gong to be occupied by me anymore,” he explained during a May 22 interview with Herald-Banner reporters.

Bobbitt did not return a call seeking comment Thursday afternoon.

Under state law, knowingly or intentionally destroying or alienating of local government records or intentionally failing to deliver records to a successor in office is a Class A misdemeanor.